Washington Project for the Arts  _ 1227 G Street NW  Washington, DC

(1975) February 27 & 28 Pnumbral Raincoast & Dance Construction Company: Experimental Evening – Dance and Music Improvisation, Washington Project for the Arts, 1227 G Street NW, Washington, DC.

PROGRAM

Listening Out Loud  (See program information below by John Driscoll)
Pnumbral Raincoast: music by John Driscoll, Steve Bloom, Phil Edelstein – Featuring John Driscoll.  (See comments by John Driscoll, below)

Wild Song
Based on Coyote Song “a Navajo chant,” Julie Schwartz (Thursday only)

Homespun
Dance by John Bailey; Music by Julie Schwartz with musicians John Driscoll, Steve Bloom, Dee Kohanna, Marlene Elbin

NOMESPUS (Friday, only)
Music by Julie Schwartz with Steve Bloom, John Driscoll, Dee Kohanna, Marlene Elbin

INTERMISSION

GOT Light / White on Wings
Dance:  Directed by John Bailey
Pnumbral Music: Steve Bloom, John Driscoll, Julie Schwartz, and Phil Edelstein
Dance MWDCCo:  Brook Andrews, John Bailey, Betty Tittsworth, Maida Withers
Set and Costumes:  John Bailey

Program Information:  MUSIC & DANCE

Comments below by John Driscoll:
LISTENING OUT LOUD:(1974) Opening music composed by John Driscoll for performance with the members of Pnumbral Raincoast.  The music utilizes an ensemble with parts for live electronics, rip saw, crosscut saw, microphone goosenecks, tape, and voice.  The electronics control the volume and pitch of previously recorded saw material, which is simultaneously mixed back in with the live sound of the saws and goosenecks.  The saws not only produce tones in the space, but also serve as a source of control signals for use with the electronics.  The saws not only produce tones in the space, but also serve as a source of control signals for use with the electronics.  The saws are bowed in order to produce various glissandi, sustained pitches,, and tone bursts.  These are complimented by a choral effect produced by the tape and electronics.  Due to the phase shift of the pitches played on the saws, being mixed with the sound of the goosenecks, there are moments in the piece where the listener loses his or her sense of the location of the pitches.  This sonic effect is heightened by a resonant space, to the point where the reverberation of the space becomes an integral part of “Listening Out Loud.”  This work also has versions for solo and duet performance.

PNUMBRAL RAINCOAST is a contemporary performance group.  The members are involved with various aspects of performance including technology, homemade instruments, improvisation, composition, and design for performance events.  The present members are John Driscoll, Julie Schwartz, Phil Edelstein, and Steve Bloom (1974).

DANCE CONSTRUCTION COMPANY is a group of Washington based dancers whose primary focus is the construction of events and performances for realization of a total work unique to each setting.  Improvisation and scripting, as well as choreography, are integrated by the group in their compositional structures.  The company also performs repertory works.  Maida Withers is the founder and director of the company.  The current members are Brook Andrews, John Bailey, Liz Lerman, JoAnn Sellars, Betty Tittsworth, and Maida Withers (1974).